


Refreshing the Raven

by AdrianExists



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, It's gonna be angsty ya giant nerds, It's one of my fics, Reversed End, transformations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:20:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25318963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdrianExists/pseuds/AdrianExists
Summary: (For my dear friend, Tims.)Julianne's finally managed to crawl back to the Raven, finding a transformed Julian there. Will she remain human, or shall she be changed forever?(Updates at least once a month!)
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak, Julianne Allgeier/Julian Devorak
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Refreshing the Raven

**Author's Note:**

> So! New fic! Huzzah! If you're here from my other fic, New Beginnings in the Past, I bid you welcome! Here's a story of my dear friend Tims' Julianne and her dearest doctor Julian. I hope y'all enjoy!

Julian had been enjoying his time inside the Hanged Raven. Ok,  _ enjoying _ wasn’t the right word. Keeping himself entertained was more accurate. Drinking the ale that occasionally refilled, fluttering around the rafters, messing around with the scrapes and splinters of tables, cloths, and mirrors to make weird statues… There was plenty for him to  _ actually _ do. And hunting. He occasionally did some hunting.

It’s after a successful hunt and return that he’s sitting at the bar, enjoying a stein of ale, when he hears the door slam open. His gaze snapped over to the entrance, watching. Waiting. His heart’s pounding in his chest as he heard wobbling, limping footsteps enter in. The person rounded the corner, and collapsed against the doorframe, barely upright.

His heart leapt into his throat and he was out of his chair before her name could finish spilling from his lips.

Her dress was torn, her hair was falling around her face wildly, and her shoes were missing a heel. She had multiple injuries, the most notable is the large gash on her arm. It stretched down from mid-upper to her mid-forearm, and it looked  _ deep _ . Deep enough that it was still bleeding heavily. The circles under her eyes are nearly black, and she was gaunt. Her dress was torn in way too many places, and her mask was nowhere to be found.

He rushed forward, stopping a breath away, looking down at her. “Juli…? Julianne?” His voice wavered on her name, full of raw emotion and horror and  _ hope _ . “Is that…?” His large, clawed, feathered, leathery hand slowly came up to her face and brushed a single lock aside. He swallowed, hard, as he tried again. “Is that really you? Is it you, Julianne.”

She looked so tired, but some energy came up enough for tears to start to well in her eyes. She nodded, lip wobbling. He nearly laughed, putting both hands on her upper arms (mindful of her injuries), and holding her there. “Oh my God, it’s really you!” His smile fell as he watched her. “Juli, what happened? What’s wrong? Are you ok?” He feels his anxiety snap up and to attention.

“Julian-...!” It’s barely said around the emotion bubbling up her throat, and she sobbed as she collapsed forwards. He caught her, pulling her close, wrapping her up in arms and wings. She’s weeping into his chest, unable to do much more. She’s whispering something, but he doesn’t pay attention to it. “Juli… oh God, Juli, c'mere…” He gently lifted her up, mindful of his claws. She doesn’t even remain awake as she’s hoisted up, exhausted by what she’s been through. He nearly dropped her, barely managing to catch her.

He took her into the back, to a small room. It probably had doubled as a bedroom at some point, but now felt more like a morgue. He found a mostly flat surface, using his wing to fling whatever remained on it off. The empty bottles and general miscellaneous shit went flying off to a corner of the room, glass shattering. He barely registered it. He was only staring at her, watching her sleep.

He took a few moments to watch her, making sure she hadn’t died before leaving to grab some supplies. He was silent as he walked, feeling regret for not being there with her. It made him feel worse about himself. As if he was the worst person to ever exist. Maybe he was…

He shook his head, frowning at himself. Self-hatred later, worry about Juli now. And he didn’t even realize he’d been listening to her breathing in the other room until it stopped suddenly. He gathered what he could in his arms before rushing out the door. He slipped over some spilled glass, the toughened flesh of his feet barely feeling it or being affected as he rushed back to her.

Another wing-clearing maneuver over a table and he nearly threw them down. He rushed back to her side, a trembling, gentle hand on her cheek. “Juli…? Julianne? Don’t die on me,  _ please… _ ” It’s a whisper, his thumb gently scraping over her cheekbone. “Please…” It’s barely said, more mouthed. It took him a moment before he remembered what he left for.

He worked quickly, even going so far as to grab stitches. It’s a little harder with his new hands, and he dropped the needle multiple times, cursing under his breath each time. Eventually, though, he figured it out, and got to work. The skin pulled together beautifully, and he was thankful for it. If any more stress happened, he’d probably start crying. He’s quick, efficient, the muscle memory for it returning. It’s almost soothing, in a dark way, as he worked. He made sure to occasionally check her breathing, at first using his hand right under her nose to check, pausing the stitching to do so. After he realized that he can use his wing for the same purpose, he did so, the process going a lot smoother. He sat there afterwards, just watching and feeling her breathe.

He sat there for so long, the sun’s set and rose twice more before his joints  _ begged him _ to move. And he does, standing up and stretching long. He doesn’t need to eat, not for another day yet, and he stares at her sleeping. She looks so peaceful, yet so damaged. He’d need to make sure she was fully healed before letting her move. Though, thankfully, it seemed like she was healing just fine.

He stood there for a long while, thinking on distant memories, staring at her, before eventually sighing and turning to leave. He needed to get her (and himself) food. He looked behind him one more time, debating if he _actually_ _wanted_ to leave, but realizing it’ll probably be better in the long term. So he closed the door with a sigh, and walked out of the Raven.

The twilight sky over-head twinkled, like glitter on a dress. Literally. The stars never remained in the same position for longer than a night, the sky usually distressing shades of blood red and violent blue-violet. He frowned up at it, wishing and wondering what a normal twilight looked like. Maybe he’d know one day… For now, he accepted his fate, and stretched out his wings. It felt  _ good _ to stretch them after all this time, feeling their joints ache and crack and adjust. He gave them an experimental flick, testing that they weren’t injured or anything. No pain, functioned as normal. He gave himself a moment before taking in a deep breath, and jumping into the air and beating his wings. He was up in a heartbeat.

He honestly  _ liked _ flying, even if it vaguely reminded him of how monstrous he was. It kept him busy, focusing on what was coming  _ at _ him. So, he flew, searching for something to hunt and bring back for food. It took him a while, and then he eventually found it. A deer, resting on the outskirts of town, chewing on something. He dove, claws outstretched, and the deer looked up and there was a heart stopping moment when he thought it would run-

And he slammed down onto it’s neck and head, crushing them, killing it instantly. He took a moment, deep breaths echoing through the mostly silent forest, hunched over from the impact. After those few moments, he stood straight up, huffing. He looked around and into the forest, making sure nothing was around before picking up the fresh kill. Another pass over the forest to make sure nothing would be following him, and he turned around and started the long trek home. He occasionally had to dodge around some rare creatures that wandered around the city. It was never  _ truly _ safe, and it always made him uncomfortable. Still, he managed to make it back, safe and sound, in one piece.

He entered the Raven, dropping the deer corpse on the floor. It fell with a  _ splat _ , and a minor spray of blood and viscera. He grimaced at the mess, but didn’t move to clean it up. He’d have to gut it anyways. He, instead, walks back to where Juli is, intending to check up on her.

She’s already sitting up, looking vaguely disgruntled on the table-bed. She’s frowning at the floor, not even reacting to him returning yet. The gash on her arm still looked bad, a couple of spots oozing blood, but it wasn’t like it had been before. It looked like it was starting to heal, and he was thankful. He sighed heavily, and the noise of him startling her.

She looked up at him, eyes wide in horror. “J-Julian…?” Her voice was barely a squeak, soft and weak and almost pathetic. Julian’s eyes softened, and he hunched over more, trying to look as unintimidating as possible. “Hello, Julianne. It’s me.” He gave her a gentle wave of his hand.

She sat there, unmoving, almost unblinking, before nodding slowly. She swallowed down whatever was in her throat. There were far too many moments of silence before Julian slowly walked over. “Juli, what…  _ happened _ to-”

“Don’t!” She shouted, holding up a hand and looking pained. He went stock still, staring at her with wide eyes and not moving. He barely  _ breathed _ , as still as a statue as she took in many deep breaths. Eventually, her arm fell, and she shook her head, obviously on the verge of crying. “Just… not right now, Jules…”

His expression softened from one of shock, nodding softly as he walked over. “Can I touch you?” He’s inches away from her, waiting for her command.

She took in a few more shuddering breaths before nodding. He moved forwards, eyes wide, watching every movement and reaction she made, careful and quiet. He was at the bench before he moved to sit behind her. She didn’t react. He took this as a good sign. and fully moved up onto it, and slowly wraps his arms around her chest and waist, dragging her back against his body. Chest to back. His wings enclose around them, hiding them from the world. It’s a soft, delicate moment, as they lean against one another. Juli’s head falls back against his chest, weak and weary. She nearly collapsed again, exhaustion still etched across her features.

He leaned his head down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before resting his cheek where his lips just were. He pet her hair, keeping her close. She was obviously in pain, mostly mentally, as she sobbed against his chest. All he wanted was to hold her close, to keep her  _ safe _ , but he wasn’t sure  _ how _ either.

He wanted to ask her  _ how _ she escaped the Devil,  _ why _ she went to take him on alone… But he knew better. That wouldn’t end up helping anyone. Not right now. Instead, he pressed her even closer, humming some old song he barely remembered from his childhood. It was comforting, and that was all that she needed right now. And so, he gave it to her, in the form of a hug and a song.

She did eventually fall back asleep, cradled in his arms, leaning against his chest. He’s wont to remove her, and so, he doesn’t. Instead, he gently picked her up, slowly and gently carrying her into a backroom that he’d made his own. He had long since removed any offending splinters or bodies or whatever else may make his nest uncomfortable. Now, it’s a massive hoard of pillows and blankets is interwoven with tree branches and roots, the branches and roots all cleaned and picked bare of bark before he’d even brought them in. A couple of bones were piled against the walls, grim reminders of what he was. He ignored them for right now, instead laying down carefully with Juli on top of him. It was surprisingly comfortable, and warm, now that she was with him. He curled around her, comforted by her presence.

He didn’t know when they fell asleep, only that he woke up with a start, ears pricking at the sound of the Raven’s doors open and closing. He sat up, looking around wildly. Someone else was there, and he was going to find out. He started to move, but realized with horror that Juli wasn’t there. She was  _ gone _ . He panicked, standing up and rushing out of the room, and into the Raven, her name on his tongue, coming out of his throat-

And he stopped, dead in his tracks.

Julianne sat at the bar, looking tired. She’d managed to find something other than the dress to wear, and looked beyond tired. Beyond dead inside. Weak.  _ Defeated _ . But that didn’t fully matter. She was still  _ here _ , and that was all that mattered. He rushed forward, nearly knocking her into the bar with the force of it. “Oh thank God, you’re still here…” He held her close, mumbling his joy into her hair. After a few seconds, however, he realized something was wrong.

She just sat there, and hadn’t moved on her own since he’d rushed towards her. He pulled back, watching her. A clawed hand came up to gently hold her cheek. “Hey… Juli, what’s wrong?”

She gently pushed him away, shaking her head. “It’s nothing, Julian.” She stared blankly behind the bar, not even really seeing beyond the countertop. She looked tired, like she just lost a fight.

… Lost a fight…

He felt himself choke up on nothing as he realized what probably happened. “Juli… Did you…” She whipped around on him, eyes sharp and looking like she was about to cry again. It shut him up. He could only presume, but by her reaction, yes, she had. She had lost. She had lost the fight against the Devil.

He didn’t push it, only asking in his movements if he could come closer. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, wary. She wasn’t sure. But she needed it. She nodded, adjusting so she would face him a bit more. He took the last few steps forward and hugged her close. They were like that for a little while, until she started to sob again. She wrapped her arms around his waist and chest, and dragged him closer. He shushed her softly, holding her as close as he could. “It’s ok… It’s ok…”

She continued to sob into his chest, arms coming up to wrap around his chest, hands clutching at feathers. He nearly hissed in pain at the feeling, but kept it down. She didn’t need that right now. And so, all he did was sit there and let her weep. For everything she’d lost. He felt a deep sorrow in his chest, as he adjusted so he could rest his head on hers. She didn’t deserve this. He did, he was a monster, the outside had just now shifted to prove it. But  _ she _ wasn’t. She was good and perfect and amazing and… Later. He’d tell her that later.

For right now, he held her close, murmuring sweet nothings and pressing soft kisses into her hair. Her sobs eventually lessened to sniffles, and he sat there, looking over the Raven. It was a bit torn up, but he wasn’t sure if it was just him transforming here that caused all the damage, or if it had happened because of the merge. Either way, it wasn’t… a very  _ welcome _ place at all. Maybe he’d try to change that. She cuddled closer into his chest. “Julian… darling… why’s there a dead deer in the parlor…?”

He stiffened, fluffing up. Oh  _ shit _ , he forgot. “I uh… I brought it back to try and clean and eat it…” He admitted sheepishly, blushing. “I just… kinda forgot about it.” He expected her to get angry, to yell at him for  _ not cleaning up _ , just  _ something _ , but she didn’t. She just softly nodded and buried her face back into his chest. “Just… clean it up soon, ok? I don’t wanna attract bugs into the house…”

He chuckled, encouraging his fluffed up feathers to relax and held her close. “Alright… Do you want to go back to bed?”

He wasn’t surprised when she nodded yes. He lifted her as gently as he could, aware of her (at least obvious) injury. He walked as slowly and softly as he could, watching as her eyes were almost instantly starting to drift shut. If he was right… She had the  _ right _ to be tired. She had just been through literal hell and back. Let her rest all she wanted.

He set her down softly in the nest, making sure she wouldn’t awaken by him leaving. He stood there, watching her breathe, until he was certain she was entirely asleep. He slipped back out, and into the main area, where the deer still awaited to be addressed. He sighed and walked up to it, sniffing at the body. It was still fresh, thankfully, and he supposed that not being out in the open all night helped with that. He rolled it over, just to be sure, and nope, nothing there either. Not even a maggot. He almost smiled, but instead, he set about to skinning and gutting the thing. It didn’t take long, and he was… thankful, for it. Both in the fact that the hunt had even been successful, that the deer hadn’t started to rot, and also the fact that it had been clean.

So, now that it was all cleaned, he set about separating the meat from the bones. It wasn’t that hard, either. Once most of the meat was off and set on the (somewhat clean) counter, he threw out the bones. They clattered in the street, a loud, raucous noise that left his ears aching a little. He made sure to lock the door behind him. He also spent the next few minutes making sure all the windows and doors were closed and locked, as he could already hear the Beasts outside. He forced down his shudder as the last lock with a healthy  _ click _ . He stepped back and waited for a few moments.

They hissed and snarled outside, obviously looking for the bones. He remained still and silent, not wanting to let them know he was there. They found the bones, and he heard them hissing and growling and snapping outside. Whether it was at the bones or each other (or both) he did not know, nor care to know. He waited until the clicking of their claws disappeared and there were no more noises outside for a while before even breathing out a sigh. Once it had long since passed, he returned to the meat, tearing it into more edible pieces, at least, for a human.

He scowled at the floor, the soot stain from a single fire he’d managed years old at this point. He was pretty sure he’d forgotten that spell at this point, and he was frustrated by it. He huffed indignantly at the spot on the floor, picking up the raw meat and storming into the kitchen behind the bar.

Surprisingly, it hadn’t been affected by the disaster outside. The kitchen remained intact, same stoves and ovens and other assortments in their rightful places. And still working, surprisingly. He wandered over to a stove, setting the meat on the counter beside it. He turned one of the knobs, earning him a clicking sound and no smell of gas. He glared at it, and tried it again. Nothing. He growled, pounding the counter beside it once, leaving a fairly sizable dent. Normally, he would’ve sobbed and cried about how he was a monster, but his brain was too focused on Julianne to worry about that.

He was about to give up in frustration, opening the oven just to yell at it, before whatever was supposed to make it heat up suddenly did. He screamed at the burst of hot air coming over his feathers, scrambling away for a second before relaxing, realizing what happened. He laughed nervously to no one but himself, embarrassed. He got scared of the oven turning  _ on _ . That was… honestly hilarious. He started to giggle at himself, pressing a hand against his mouth as he did so. It soon turned into snorts and then full bodied laughter. Of  _ course _ he’d gotten scared by nothing. Summed him up pretty well, actually.

Once his laughing fit calmed down, and he’d gotten a few deep, calming breaths in, he took some of the meat and tapped some salt on it. He pouted at it, sad that he didn’t have much of anything else that hadn’t been overrun with beetles or mold to put on there, but salt was better than nothing. He managed to find a relatively clean baking sheet, setting the meat onto that and putting it into the oven. He closed the door, sat down, and watched it roast. He snagged himself a raw piece, slowly gnawing on it. He wasn’t too hungry, but it was better to eat a little now then none at all.

He waited, patient, until the meat was done. He got a little antsy at the end, starting to tap his claws against the wood floor. However, soon, the kitchen was full of the roasting meat, and it honestly smelled  _ divine _ , even with the lack of any other herbs.  _ I really wish I had garlic and butter and rosemary and thyme, _ he thought, a little bitter, curling up on himself.  _ Would taste a  _ **_lot_ ** _ better for Juli… _ He sighed heavily, grabbing a towel to protect his hand as he pulled the sheet out.

The meat was  _ truly _ beautiful looking. He was subtly proud of himself, as it had a perfect golden outside, and when he cut into it, yup, perfectly pink all the way through. Just how she liked it. He preened in the privacy of solitude, endlessly pleased with himself. He slowly sliced it, making sure it was ok all the way through. And it was. He found a decently clean plate and put some on there. He hunted around for a (not  _ too _ expired) cheese, eventually finding one and doing the same to it.

He took the plate of warm meat and cool cheese to Juli in the backroom. She slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes as he came in. “Julian…?”

He nodded, his smile a bit wobbly. “I’m here.” He walked over, sitting down gently beside her. “I-I made you some food.” He held it out to her, hoping her stomach could take it. She smiled softly at her, taking it and setting it in her lap. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face, murmuring a soft, “Thank you…” She picked up a hunk of meat, examining it, before taking a bite. She chewed for a few moments before swallowing. “Thank you, Julian,” she repeated, starting to eat more.

He watched her eat, noticing how thin she was. He guessed however long fighting the Devil, then crawling back to here,  _ then _ not eating for a couple of days would do that to a person. He looked at her, sad and sympathetic. He wished he knew what she’d gone through. What horrors. It felt  _ awful _ not knowing. He looked at her arm, pleased to see that the gash was healing. Slowly, but healing. He gently patted her shoulder, keeping in mind his new strength.

She gave him an appreciative look, holding his hand to her shoulder. “Thank you…” She continued eating, chewing slowly.

It took a few more minutes before she was done. Once she was, she held it out for him to take. “Thank you, Julian,” she mumbled, a soft, weak smile on her lips. “I appreciate it.” He nodded, taking it from her. “Of course.” He stood, returning to the kitchen.

He quickly cleaned it, and was in the process of drying it off when he heard banging on the windows. He jumped, putting the plate on the counter to dry, quickly sneaking into the main room. It seemed someone was outside. He snuck up to a window, and looked through it.

The man outside was small, and covered in blood. He was looking around wildly, and upon seeing Julian, his eyes lit up. “Hey! Hey, you! Lemme in!” He gestured down the streets. “Those fuckin’  _ beasts _ are out here, and they’re gonna eat me!” Julian wanted to open the door, he really did. But then there was the sound of the Beasts coming, too close for comfort, and he shook his head. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

The man shrieked, begging to be let in. Julian shook his head, backing away, mouthing, “I’m sorry…” He watched as the man turned down the street, watching him as he started to run, screaming to be saved. No one could save him, though. Not as the Beasts came rushing down the street and beginning to tear the man apart. Julian felt bile rise in his throat, backing away from the window. He honestly  _ feared _ the Beasts, and for good reason. He was reminded why as the man screamed.

Julianne came rushing out, eyes wide and in panic. “What’s going on?” She tried to shriek, though her voice was weak. He ducked over to her, covering her mouth. “Shh, shh shh…  _ Trust me _ , on this.” He encouraged her to duck down. “Keep quiet.”

“Why?!” She snapped, but she kept her voice to a whisper. “What’s going on?! Why is that man being torn apart?”

“Beasts,” he mumbled. At her confused face, he raised his hands, gesturing as he’s explaining. “They’re mutants that exist across the Realm, now. Twisted beings. They eat anything that bleeds.” He looks her over, stopping at her arm. “The fact that they didn’t come for you is nothing short of a miracle, if I’m honest.” He gently grabbed it, checking it over. It was still good, and hadn’t opened. “With how heavily you were bleeding.”

She gave him a horrified expression. “They’re attracted to  _ blood _ ?!” She shrieked. Julian slapped his hand over her mouth, holding the back of her head so she couldn’t escape. She grunted at him and tried to bite, but he held her there. He “pointed” with his wing.

There was dead silence.

Her expression dropped from anger at being silenced to fear and more horror. They both waited on baited breath, staring at the windows. Eventually, though, they heard the Beasts continue to eat, and then move on, their nails clicking on the bricks outside. Julian let her go with a sigh. “Thank God…”

“What… What  _ were _ those things?” She stared at him, trembling. “Humans, formerly,” he said simply. “Most people were… corrupted during the Merge.” He looked away, holding up his hands. “As you… can tell.” She nodded, looking him over. “How… how did that happen?”

“Slowly,” he admitted, now sitting down on the floor. “I don’t even remember how long it took.” She held her arm, the injured one, biting her lip in worry. “What if… what if that happens to me?” He put a finger under her chin, and forced her to look up at him. “Then I’ll protect you from whatever horrors reside outside,” he promised solemnly. She nodded again, before pressing his hand against the side of her face and leaning into the touch. “Ok…” Her smile returned, as did the light in her eyes as she looked up at him. “I’m gonna hold you that, yanno that?”

He laughed, nodding. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” He brushed his thumb over her cheekbone, sighing. “... God, I missed you,” he admitted softly. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed you too…” She lets her hand drift up. He lowered his head, and let her touch his cheek, humming softly.

They sit like that for a while, just enjoying each other’s company. The silence is nearly deafening until Juli yawns, large and loud. “Gods, ‘m tired,” she slurs, looking about ready to pass out. Julian chuckled, standing. “Do you want me to carry you to bed?” She nods, holding up her hands. “Please.” He easily lifted her up, groaning as he did so. “Ok…”

He brought her back into the backroom, and sat down in the middle. He gently set her laying down in the nest, watching her breathe for a moment before starting to stand. He stopped when he felt a tug on his feathers, turning around to look at her again. She had a deep, sleepy look in her eyes, hand barely holding onto some of his flight feathers. “Stay…?” She murmured, eyes barely focused.

He groaned, looking out into the main room. He needed to make sure they were safe, but at the same time… “Let me do one last sweep?” He offered, raising his eyebrows. She frowned at him, but nodded after a moment, letting his feathers go. “I’ll be right back,” he promised, quickly ducking out of the room and looking through the entire Raven. Once he had done his run through and checked up and made sure everything was all good and locked, he returned to her. She was still awake, surprisingly, but he could hear her. She was nearly asleep, and he felt bad for making her wait.

He walked over, and gently sat beside her. “Hey,” he said softly, a clawed hand going to wrap around hers. “I’m here.”

“We safe for the night?” She mumbled, eyes falling closed and words slurring. He nodded. “We’re safe,” he assured, holding her hand. “Good.” She yawned and crawled her way into his arms. He fluffed up in shock, but didn’t attempt to deny her otherwise. “Thank you, Julian,” she sighed against his chest. He took a moment, in shock, before managing, “Y-you’re welcome, Julianne.” She was asleep before he finished his words.

He sat there for a while, taking in her breathing, before feeling his own eyes start to shut. He curled himself around her, and promptly fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> So anyways, yea, thanks for readin'. I always read and adore comments, so they're more than welcome. I can be found on tumblr, twitter, and tiktok under AdrianExists, and you can find Tims at Timmy-and-Scribbles on tumblr and instagram! Show her some love!


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